of the franchises of the King or others, or against the common profit of the people, nor allow any other ordinances without their being first approved and enrolled before such justices; and that the same should be by them afterwards revoked and recalled, if not found to be wholly loyal and reasonable; and this under penalty of losing and forfeiting the power and effect of all articles comprised in their said letters patent and charters, which allowed them to make among themselves such ordinances, and, moreover, of forfeiting to the King ten pounds for every ordinance made contrary, as often as they should be convicted thereof by due process." The petition of the commons was granted. The power of the companies was enlarged in the reign of Edward the Fourth, by associating the liverymen at large of the trading companies, with the electors at common hall. At the coronation of Richard the Third, the first example occurs of the heads of the great Livery Companies being chosen by the common council to attend the mayor of London to Westminster as cup-bearer. In the same reign, the twelve companies proved their wealth and liberality by contributing with the mayor, Ralph Josceline, towards the repair of the city walls, each company taking its respective portion. The Skinners built the portion between Aldgate and Bevis Marks, towards Bishopsgate, and had their arms put up there in three places. The mayor, with his company of Drapers, took the portion between Bishopsgate and Allhallows church. The Grocers built from Allhallows towards the postern of Moorgate, and set up the arms of Crosby, whose executors they were. The remainder of the wall, from Crosby's portion, as far as to Cripplegate postern, was made by other companies. The Goldsmiths repaired from Cripplegate towards Aldersgate, and there their work ceased. The reigns of Henry the Seventh and Henry the Eighth form an important era in the history of these companies. The former of these monarchs, wishing to interpose the commercial class between the nobles and their vassals, found these companies well adapted to his purpose, and therefore distinguished them with the highest favour. He became a brother of the Tailors' company, and delivered them a new charter from the throne, being at the same time habited in the company's livery, made of velvet and other rich materials, and afterwards presiding as their master, and wearing the same dress. About this time, and somewhat earlier, several of the minor companies took their rise, springing up naturally from the congregating together of persons of the same trade or calling. Stowe notices some of these in the following quaint manner. Of the Pewterers he says: "These were a company or meeting of friendly and neighbourly men in the reign of Edward the Fourth, and became, in the 13th of that king, incorporated." Of the Tallow-Chandlers: "They were a society of great antiquity, living in good formality among men, and loving agreement with themselves, and so came to be incorporated in the reign of Edward the Fourth." Of the Masons, otherwise Freemasons: that "They were a society of ancient standing and good reckoning, by means of affable and kind meetings divers times, and, as a loving brotherhood should use to do, did frequent their mutual assemblies in the time of King Henry the Fourth, in the 12th year of whose most gracious reign they were incorporated." He concludes with a notice of the Innholders, of whom he says, that, "Having been a community or society of honest friendly men, by their often meeting and conversing together, as in those days it was a matter much observed, they came to be incorporated in the sixth year of King Henry the Eighth." The jurisdiction of the warden and companies extended over the suburbs two miles from the city, the limits being stated thus, in a statute of the 15th of Henry the Eighth: "Within the town of Westminster, the parishes of St. Martin's in the Fields, our Lady of the Strand, St. Clement's Danes without Temple Bar, St. Giles's in the Fields, St. Andrew, Holborn, the town and borough of Southwark, Shoreditch, Whitechapel parish, St. John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell, Clerkenwell parish, St. Botolph without Aldgate, St. Katherine's near the Tower, and Bermond sey. The opulence of the twelve companies was exhibited in 1544 by their lending King Henry the Eighth upwards of 21,000%. on lands mortgaged to them towards his wars in Scotland. This seems to have been nearly the first instance of such a loan, and the precedent was afterwards carried to a ruinous extent. SECTION 3. REVIEW OF THE ANCIENT STATE OF THE COMPANIES. The whole of these societies were at first, associations of persons actually, and not nominally, professing the trades from which they took their denomination. They existed on a principle of general subscription, and all the members had equal participation in the rights of the body. They were to hold their gild once a year, in order to settle and govern their mysteries. They were, by their charters, als permitted to purchase tenements and rents of small annual value, for relieving their poor and infirm, and for maintaining a chaplain and chantry. The early mode of the trades assembling and re-founding their societies (for most of them existed long before a charter was granted) may be gathered from the records of the Grocers' company, where there is an interesting account of the first proceedings of that society. Twenty-two persons, carrying on the business of pepperers in Soper's Lane, Cheapside, agree to meet together, to a dinner, at the Abbot of Bury's, St. Mary Axe, and commit the particulars of their formation into a trading society to writing. They elect, after dinner, two persons of the company so assembled, Roger Osekyn and Lawrence de Haliwell, as their first governors or wardens, appointing, at the same time, in conformity with the custom of the age, a priest or chaplain, to celebrate divine offices for their souls. Towards the feast of which the company had just partaken, and which, in their books is called a mangerie," every member then paid twelve pence, and twenty-three pence more was to be disbursed by the wardens. It was then agreed that the whole brotherhood should adopt a livery, for which every one was to pay his share "even on the day of the feast." It was also ordained that the priest should commence his duty by singing and praying on the festival of St. John on the Midsummer-day ensuing, for the same brotherhood, and all Christian people; and for such priest's maintenance, every one was to pay at the rate of one penny a-week, in advance for the ensuing year, amounting to four shillings and four pence each member's share. 66 The way in which the foundation of this company was laid, may be taken as a specimen of the formation of the other companies. In all of them it appears that the preserving of their trade secrets was a leading law. The regulation of apprenticeships was also another important article in the ordinances of all the companies. No man was to be admitted into the Livery of Grocers, who had not served the term of his apprenticeship; and then it was to be by the advice of the wardens and fellows, who were to ascertain that he was of a good name, a freeman of no other craft, and exempted therefrom; he was to pay for his admission at least 5s. Apprentices who were approved of, were to pay 3s. 4d. entrance, and to be made free at the company's place, or at the Yelde Halle. Masters were to pay 20s. to the common box, on taking an apprentice. And "no member was to keep in his shop an apprentice who had not served his time to the craft." The companies had complete jurisdiction over their respective trades; and in pursuance of the right of search, before mentioned, the principals of each company were accustomed, somewhat in the manner of a jury, to take their regular rounds. Grocers at that time had the oversight of drugs, and therefore their wardens were enjoined "to go and assayen weights, powders, confections, plasters, oyntments, and all other thynges belonging to the same crafte," and to notice every shop where they were defective, that a remedy might be found. Thus the goldsmiths had the assaying of metal; the fishmongers the oversight of fish; the vintners the tasting and gauging of wines. At a later date, the Merchant-Tailors' records also prove that they kept a silver yard, weighing thirty-six ounces, and bearing the company's arms, for the admeasure ment of cloth. With this standard they were accustomed to attend West Smithfield during Bartholomew fair, at the time when cloth formed a great article of commerce there. Fit persons were appointed to this service of examining the measures, on the vigil of the eve of St. Bartholomew, and it appears from the records of 1612, that it was the custom to have a dinner at Merchant-Tailors' Hall," for the search on St. Bartholomew's eve." When frauds were thus discovered, the offenders were frequently committed to prison; though they sometimes escaped by paying a fine, such as "38. 4d. for a swan for the master's breakfast." Many excellent arrangements were made among the members of the various societies for the regulation and good government of the respective bodies; and charitable conduct towards unfortunate members was largely exhibited. When a member of the Grocers' company, for instance, became poor from "adventures on the sea, or by the advanced price of merchandize, or by borrowing and pledging, or by any other misfortunes," he might by the agreement of the company "be assisted by the common money, according to his situation, (if he could not do without it,) when they were able to maintain him by the said money." Settled asylums were afterwards found for distressed members, and hence arose the various almshouses of the companies, which grew into such importance, and continue to form so interesting a feature among the charities of the metropolis. The chief officers of these companies were the aldermen, wardens, elders, or whatever other name might be employed to designate the leading men: On refusing to serve after being duly chosen, the wardens of the Grocers' company were fined ten marks, and put out of the brotherhood "for alle dayes." Yet "forasmoche as it was laboureuse to hem that ben wardeyns for the yere," the company agreed that an individual who had once served, should not be again chosen to the office until the expiration of seven years. "A bedel to warne and summon the felliship," was also necessary, and in 1348, when this officer was first elected, he had for his trouble "his clothyng of the livery,' and fourpence a week. On the superannuation of the first beadle, he was allowed a retiring pension of sixpence a week. The priest, or chaplain, has already been mentioned as an indispensable part of all fraternities, secular or religious. The office of clerk to the Grocers' company does not appear to have been established until 1460. His yearly salary was 67. 138. 4d. The clerk to the Brewers' company is mentioned earlier. In 1418 the death of their clerk, John Morey, is recorded, and William Porland was made his successor, and, with his wife Dionizia, his children and servants, had "free and quiet dwelling in the hall of the company, called Brewers' Hall; with the use of the chamber, and of the utensils and necessaries belonging to the said hall. The clerk was keeper of the company's seal, guardian of the muniment room and records, the depository of the company's secrets, and the manager of all transactions and securities connected with their property and privileges. Assistants were also chosen from the company to aid the wardens in the discharge of their duties, and soon after the appointment of these, there are traces of something like a court, denominated "The Feliship Associed." The wardens and all other officers were, however, fully subject to city control. The mayor could fine and impri3on the wardens of companies at his pleasure; and it was very common to make presents, or, as we should say, to give bribes, in order to obtain favour during the year of mayoralty. The records of the Brewers' company afford the following, among other instances: "On Thursday, July 30, 1422, Robert Chichele, the mayor, sent for the masters and twelve of the most worthy of our company, to appear at the Guildhall; to whom John Fray, the recorder, objected, a breach of government; for which 207. should be forfeited for selling dear ale. After much dispute about the price and quality of malt, wherein Whityngtone, the late mayor, declared that the brewers had ridden into the country and forestalled the malt to raise its price, they were convicted in the penalty of 201.; which objecting to, the masters were ordered to be kept in prison in the chamberlain's custody, until they should pay it, or find security for the payment thereof." But it is added, that when the mayor and court of aldermen had "gone homeward to their meat," and the masters inquired of the chamberlain and clerk what they were to do; they were told to go home, and promised that no harm should come to them, "for all this proceeding had been done but to please Richard Whityngtone, for he was the cause of the aforesaid judgment." Yet, by another entry made in the same year, it appears that Whittington himself condescended to receive a bribe, through his servant. Thus, 77. 38. 4d. appears in the accounts as the cost of two pipes of red wine "to Richard Whityngtone's butler." Liveries are not mentioned as being worn by any of the companies earlier than the reign of Edward the First, and even then they seem to have been all alike, for the fraternities forming part of the procession at Edward's marriage, rode to the number of six hundred "in one livery of red and white." In the Grocers' resolutions the earliest particulars, as to the fashion of these liveries, are to be found. The common habit was to consist of an upper and under garment, called a coat and surcoat; the full suit, reserved for ceremonials, including a cloak or gown, and hood. All "San the companies continued to vary in the colour of their habits until about the beginning of the seventeenth century. Thus, the Grocers in 1414, wore "scarlet and green," and two years later, "scarlet and black." In Henry the Sixth's reign, the colours had changed to "murrey and plunket," which are explained to mean "dark red," and a "kind of blue." The colours are afterwards mentioned as "murrey and plunket celestyne," the latter meaning sky-blue. A further variety was introduced in 1450, when their blue gowns were ordered to be thenceforth of "vyolette in grayne," and "for hodyes, parted with crymsyn." guine," or "cloth of blood colour parted with rayes," (striped cloth,) and combined with green, was a leading colour in other companies. Females belonging to the company were also entitled to the livery, and in the ninth of Henry the Fifth, there are entries of rayes of cloth and blood colour, for the clothing of the brethren and sisters of the fraternity of Brewers' craft, amounting to 991. 16s. 24d. In the reign of Henry the Sixth, the dress of the livery reached only to the knee, and was "parted" according to the fashion of the times, in two halves, open at the sides. In the reign of James the First, a more graceful costume had been adopted, not much unlike that which is at present employed. The chief differences were in the liverymen wearing caps and hoods, and having a long furred lappet pendant from the gown sleeves. The hoods are parted red and black, like those of the graduates of our universities; the gowns are black, &c., trimmed with "budge" or "foins." LIVERYMEN IN THE REIGN OF JAMES THE FIRST. On occasions of show and triumph, and especially in compliment to royalty, changes were sometimes made in the liveries, to render them more splendid and effective, as blue gowns with red hoods, brown and blue with embroidered sleeves, red with hoods of red and white, &c. The close connection which originally existed between the observances of the companies and the rites of the Roman Catholic religion, likewise added to the splendour of public ceremonials. Each company had its patron saint and chaplain. The Fishmongers chose St. Peter, and assembled at St. Peter's church; the Drapers chose the Virgin Mary, mother of the Holy Lamb or Fleece, as emblem of that trade, and met at St. Mary's church, Bishopsgate; the Goldsmiths chose St. Dunstan, as having been a brother artisan; the Merchant Tailors selected St. John the Baptist as the harbinger of the Holy Lamb. Other companies named themselves after the saint in whose chapel they assembled: thus, the Grocers called themselves the fraternity of St. Anthony, because they had their altar in St. Anthony's church; the Vintners, the fraternity of St. Martin, from their connection with St. Martin's Vintry church, &c. SECTION 4. PROCESSIONS, FEASTS, AND PAGEANTS. We find that the fraternities were accustomed, at the time of elections, to make processions to their respective churches in great form, accompanied by the religious orders in rich costumes, bearing wax torches, and singing, and frequently attended by the Lord Mayor and the great civic authorities in state. Stowe describes one of the processions of the Skinners' society on Corpus Christi day, when more than two hundred torches of wax, costly garnished, burning bright, were borne before them, and there were above two hundred clerks and priests in surplices and copes, singing; "after which came the sheriffs' servants, the clerks of the compters, chaplains to the sheriffs, the mayor's sarjeants, counsel of the city, the mayor and aldermen in scarlet, and then the Skinners in their best liveries." Funerals were also observed among the brethren with great solemnity. The canons of St. Martin le Grand agreed with the Saddlers' company, in Saxon times, that for every deceased member St. Martin's bell should be tolled, "and procession made with burial freely and honourably." At a later period, the ordinances of the Grocers' company, enforce, "that at the death of a member of the brotherhood in London, the warden of the year should order the beadle to warn the brothers to go to the dirge, and on the morrow to the mass, under pain of viii. s." And if any of the company died and did not leave sufficient to bury him, then it was to be done "of the common goods, for the honour of the society." These funerals appear to have been conducted with great pomp, each company being possessed of a splendid state pall, (sometimes of two or three,) to be used on such occasions. These palls are described at some length in Mr. Herbert's interesting work, and appear to have been some of the most superb examples of ancient embroidery, representing sacred and angelic personages, flowers, network, and other devices wrought in gold, silver, satin, velvet, and other costly materials. The state pall of the Fishmongers exceeds the rest in magnificence, and is still kept in the hall of that company. Funeral dinners were frequently given to the company on these solemn occasions, and it was not uncommon for a sum to be left by the deceased for this express purpose. Plenteous entertainment was also provided during the ceremony; for it is stated, that during the dirge, "there was a drynkynge in all the cloisters, the nuns halls, and parlors of the said place, and every where ells, for as many as would come, as well the crafts of London, as gentilmen of the inns of court." But it is from the account of election feasts, as given by these companies, that we gain the best ideas of the growing luxury and magnificence of their several societies. Though the sums mentioned as the price of their dainties may appear very small, it is to be remembered that money was then of five times its present value. In the fifteenth century the entertainments of the different crafts began to be attractive to those who loved the good things of life, so that the company's dinners were often graced with the presence of persons of rank and consideration. In an election-feast of 1425, the fish course, and the prices paid, were as follows: "Porpeys, 10d.; oysters and muscles, 6d. ; salmon and herring, with fresh ling, 15d.; a salmon, 21d.; for codling's head, 8d.; for five pykes, 6s. 8d.; lampreys, 6s. 8d.; turbot, 3s. 4d.; eels, 2s. 4d.; eight hundred herrings, 10s. 6d." The different sorts of bread used at the feast are distinguished as white bread, trencher bread, payncakes, wassel bread, cocket bread, and spice bread, all included under the head of Pannery. The poultry is entered as follows: "Twenty-one swans at 3s. 9d.,-37. 18s. 9d.; two geese at 8d.,-1s. 4d.; forty capons at 6d.,-20s.; forty conies at 3d.,-108.; forty-eight partridges at 4d. each,-16s.; twelve woodcocks at 4d.,-4s. 4d.; twelve dozen and a half of smaller birds at 6d. the dozen,-6s. 3d.; three dozen plovers at 3s.,-98.; eighteen dozen larks at 4d.,-6s.; six dozen little birds at 14d.,-9d." The more substantial portions of the feast, under the head of Butchery, include, among other meats, the noble baron of beef, eight fillets of veal, and one sirloin of beef, amounting altogether to 18s. 10d., with two rounds of beef and two fillets of pork, 10s. There is also mention of forty marrow-bones with marrow, 58.; five pieces of suet, 1s. 4d.; and three gallons and a half of fresh grease at 16d. per gallon. For the spicery and kitchen there were collected, among other articles, 94 lbs. of "poudre de pepir, 3s.; 2 lbs. de sugre blanch, 2s.;" with saffron, ginger, mace, cloves, honey, figs, almonds, dates, "reysons de Corince, cynamon, nottemeg, flower de ryse and sanders; also costards, wardens, and other sorts of fruit; oatmeal, vinegar, virjuice, onions, and garlick, twelve gallons of cream, and eight gallons of milk." There is also a curious account of the crockery, pewter ware, rushes for the floor, napery or table linen, cost of cooks, and other attendants, &c., all mixed up in French and English. Even at this period, the culinary art was in no despicable state, since we find a notice of such agreeable preparations as their Leche Lombard, a kind of jelly made of cream, isinglass, sugar, and almonds, with other compounds. A curious modification of the same, called a cury, was composed of pork pounded in a mortar with eggs, raisins, dates, sugar, salt, pepper, spices, milk of almonds, and red wine; the whole boiled in a bladder. Their mottrews was a rich soup or stew made of pork and poultry, pounded in a mortar and strained. In the form of a cury this mottrews was compounded with blanched almonds, milk, and white flour of rice. Doucettes, or little sweetmeats and confections, formed a garnish to the larger dishes, as did also various kinds of fritters, and payn-puff, or a preparation of bread stuffed with several sorts of forces and ragouts. Sometimes the payn-puff was directed to be made of marrow, yolk of eggs, dates minced, raisins, and salt, in a delicate paste, and moulded in an orbicular form. There is reason also to believe that the halls were "aromatized" with the precious Indian wood called sanders, thus adding to the luxury of entertainments, which were of no ordinary kind. The brilliancy of the feasts was also increased by the presence of the female members of the several companies. "Amidst so many attractions which these ancient feasts held out, it was not one of the least to have the company of females at them. This curious, we had almost said indecorous, custom, but which must, at the same time, have greatly heightened the hilarity, occurred in consequence of the companies consisting, as we have seen, of brothers and sisters; and which practice they seem, on their reconstitution, to have borrowed from the religious gilds. Not only did widows, wives, and single women, who were members, join the joyous throng, but from the Grocers' ordinances of 1348, we find the brethrene' could introduce their fair acquaintance, on paying for their admission; and that not, as in modern times, to gaze in galleries, the mere spectators of good living, but as participants. There is an amusing simplicity in the ordinances alluded to of the Grocers on these points: they enjoin, that every one of the fraternity, from thenceforward, having a wife, or companion, shall come to the feast, and bring with him a damsel if he pleases, (ameyne avec luy une demoiselle si luy plest,) if they cannot come, on account of sickness or maternal duties; they are then, and not otherwise, to be excused." Every man paid for his wife 20d.; or man and wife, 5s.; that is to say, 20d. for the man, 20d. for his wife, and 20d. for the priest. Women, not members, but who should afterwards marry members, were to be entered, and looked upon "as of the fraternite for ever, and be assisted and made one of us." If left a widow, such female member was to come to the annual dinner, and to pay, if able, 40d., but, in case she married again to one who was not of the fraternity, she was to be expelled, and so to remain during such marriage, nor none of us ought to meddle or interfere in anything with her on account of the fraternity, so long as she remains married." The admission of different companies, of course, varied with circumstances: the brothers of the Brewers' company were to pay 12d., the sisters 8d., and a brother and his wife 20d.; whilst among the Fishmongers, the members were to pay towards the feast, on their quitting church, every man 12d., and for his wife 8d., and each "for his gest in the same manere at the assemble, as the wardeyns shall reasonabilly ordeynne;" and, it is added, "every body that omyteth to come to the foreseide fest or assemble, and is absent, shall pay redely as othir or here condicion that be present; and atte same fest or assemble every yere shall be ordeyned or chose from other sufficient persons of the same fraternite to governe and rule in gode manere most profitable to the encrece and worship of the same fraternite." 66 The election ceremonies took place after the feast, and differed in different companies; but seem all to have included the practice of crowning the newly-elected principals. In the ancient records of the Grocers it is enacted that the wardens were to come "with garlandes on their hedes, after the mangerie was finished," and the fraternity was to choose as wardens for the year ensuing, "them upon whom the forseid garlondes shullen be so sett," and to them was to be delivered all money, papers, and other things which belonged to the fraternity, under a penalty of ten pounds. Refusal of office was followed by fine and expulsion. In the wardens' accounts of the same company, for 1401, the sum of twenty pence is debited for "the two chapellettes pour couron. les novels mestres," and sixteen shillings for refreshment. Minstrels were present at these feasts. Sometimes harpers played and sung, in the intervals of more sonorous strains from cornets, shalms, flutes, horns, and pipes. Theatrical entertainments were also introduced, but the pieces appear to have been sacred, and the actors, in some cases, ecclesiastics. The place in which all these ceremonies were enacted is thus described by Mr. Herbert. "The hall was an immense room, giving name, as now, to a whole collection of contingent buildings, which the fraternity themselves generally and more appropriately termed their 'house.' It mostly had an open timber roof, for the Fishmongers suspended the leading articles of their pageants from it, as was probably the case with the other companies. A lantern, or lover, in the centre, and elevated gothic windows on the sides, 'richly dight' with the arms of the benefactors, threw the dimmed sunbeams on a glare of gorgeous tapestry, filling the space between the windows and the floor, and which, in the Merchant-Tailors' Hall, contained the history of their patron, St. John the Baptist. The floor was only strewed with rushes; the tables, boards placed on tressels, except perhaps the great cross table on the haut pas, for superior guests. Pewter vessels, though hired at the Brewers' dinners, were chiefly for the use of the kitchen; for the tables of the other companies were, according to their inventories, resplendent with donations of plate. All the halls were traversed by the reredos, or grand screen. The Merchant-Tailors had a large sylver ymage of St. John, in a tabernacle,' on the top of theirs. These screens concealed the entrance to the buttery, larder, kitchen, and offices. The minstrels were placed somewhere aloft, and there were temporary platforms or stages for players. Other passages branched to the wine and ale cellars, and to the chambers, among which latter, one was always reserved for the bachelors.' Annexed to the buttery, but at a greater distance, were the bakehouse and brewhouse; the kitchen passage, which lay on a gradual descent, was guarded from hungry intruders by a spiked hatch the kitchen itself was stored with the 'spittes, rakkes, and rollers,' and all the other massy and capacious culinary implements and utensils which characterized these establishments in the rude days of England's stout yeomanry. The city Guildhall, on the lord mayor's day, now affords the best idea of the company's ancient halls and feasts, though certainly on a scale of greater magnitude and splendour." Though the different companies had probably halls or places of meeting, from the time of their first establishment; yet there is no recorded account of them before the time of Edward the Third, when their charters were bestowed. Besides the hall itself, and the offices connected therewith, the companies were required, in the time of the Stuarts, to keep a granary and armoury. Almshouses also adjoined the principal building, that the almsmen might be at hand to join in any public processions or pageants. "One of the first of these halls, which apparently corresponded with the increased consequence of the newly chartered companies, was the Goldsmiths' Hall, which must also have ranked with the earliest in point of age, as their fraternity had an assay office in the reign of Edward the First. In this, Bartholomew Read, goldsmith, and lord mayor in 1502, is stated to have held a feast of such magnitude, that Stowe treats Grafton's account of it as fabulous, observing, that Westminster Hall itself would scarcely have sufficed. "Most of the halls which existed before or near the Reformation, seem to have been formed from the deserted mansions of the great, and subsequently from religious buildings, and they in consequence possessed, in many instances, gardens. Drapers' Hall was the mansion of Lord Cromwell, and still retains its fine gardens. Salters' Hall was the town seat of the Earls of Oxford, and had a garden attached, said to have been the place where Empson and Dudley met in Henry the Seventh's reign, and part of which forms the forecourt of their present hall. The Grocers built on the site of Lord Fitzwalter's town mansion, and had a fine garden, part of which is also still preserved. The minor companies, in several instances, bought and converted the halls of the dissolved religious houses into trade halls: as the Leather-sellers, who fitted up the fine hall of the nuns of St. Helen's; the Pinners, who occupied the Austin Friars' Hall, afterwards called Pinners' Hall Meeting-house; the Barber-Surgeons, who built on part of the site of the hermitage of St. James in the Wall, and others. "The greatness or convenience of most of the companies' halls, not only adapted them for the immediate uses they were built for, but enabled them to give grand feasts to various monarchs, who honoured them with their suites, by enrolling themselves members. In the interregnum they were the meeting-places of the various government commissioners, and occasionally superseded the senate-house as an arena of politics. By the parliamentary commanders they were converted into barracks, by the puritanical clergy into preaching places, and by succeeding lord mayors they were afterwards used as temporary mansion-houses." The pageants next call our attention, and we can only glance at so extensive a subject, leaving the reader to seck fuller particulars in Mr. Herbert's work, or in the authorities which are there referred to. These pageants were called by the common people ridings, and were so frequent that Chaucer, in describing an idle apprentice, makes them the great cause of drawing him from his work. When there any ridings were in Chepe, On the return of Edward the First from his victory over the Scots in 1298, the trades made their "severall shew, but specially the Fishmongers, which, in a solempne procession, passed through the citie, having, amongst other pageants and shews, foure sturgeons gilt carried on foure horses, then foure salmons of silver on foure horses, and after them six and forty armed knightes riding on horses, made like sluces of the sea, and then one representing St. Magnus, (because it was on St. Magnus day,) with a thousand horsemen, &c." The sluces above mentioned are explained to mean luces, a fish introduced in the Fishmongers' arms. In 1446, is an entry thus: "This yeare came Quene Margaret into England, with grete roialte of the kyng's cost, and was receyved at London the 28th day of May in the moost goodly wise, with alle the citizeins on horseback riding ayenst hir to the Black-heth in blew gownes and rede hodes; and in the citie in diverse places goodly sights ayenst hir comyng." When Henry the Fifth arrived at Dover from France in 1415, with his prisoners, he was met by a procession, thus described by Lydgate: The mayr of London was redy bown To the Blak-heth thaune rod he, Our comely kyng for to abyde. The reception of Henry the Sixth on his return from being crowned King of France, also appears to have been very magnificent. The mayor's dress on this occasion is described as being of crimson velvet, with a great velvet hat furred, a girdle of gold about his middle, and a jewel of gold about his neck, trailing down behind him. He was followed by three hundred huntsmen on great coursers, in entire suits of red, all spangled with silver. The whole commonalty of the city, who seem mostly to have been liverymen, were clothed in white gowns and scarlet conuzances embroidered on their hoods, with divers sleeves. The citezens ich on of the citee, In their entent that they were pure and clene, In evry craft, as it was wel sene; To shewe the trow the that they dede mene, Toward the kyng hadde mad them faithfully In sundry devyses embrowdyd richely. The "Merchant Strangers," consisting of the "Geneweys" (Genoese), Florentines, and also the Easterlings, (all of which nations had their residences in the city,) were dressed in their country fashion, or as it is stated, "clad in there manere," and attended by serjeants and other officers, "statly horsyd," passed through the suburbs, riding after the mayor. At Blackheath, (the general place of rendezyous on these occasions,) the whole arranged themselves in two ranks, leaving A strete between ech party lik a wall; All clad in whit, and the most principalle The precedency of the companies was a point of etiquette scrupulously adhered to in all the pageantries, and was regulated by the mayor and aldermen, though it does not seem to have been reduced to a fixed principle until a comparatively late period in the history of the companies. To prevent disputes it was arranged that the mayor's company should always precede, and that the others should have alternate precedence. In the reign of Henry the Eighth a court was summoned for the especial purpose of settling the order of processions. An attempt at scenic display was made on this occasion, a pageant being placed against the Great Conduit between Grocers' and Mercers' Halls, representing a grove of such foreign fruits as were peculiar to the trade of a grocer, (the mayor being of that trade,) and in the midst of the grove three wells, whose waters, at the king's presence, seemed miraculously changed into wine. At these wells the three virtues, Mercy, Grace, and Pity, were represented serving out the wine, and two aged men, representing Enoch and Elias, approached the king as he passed the wells, presenting him with fruit, and giving him their blessing. That God conferme his state ay to be stable, Well devoutly seyde, lokyng on the kyng, And make hym blessyd in erthe here levyng, In enemyes handes that he nevere falle. At the coronation of Elizabeth, queen of Henry the Seventh, in 1487, "at her coming forth from Grenewich by water, there was attending upon her there the maior, shrifes, and aldermen of the citie, and divers and many worshipfull comoners, chosen out of every crafte, in their liverays, in barges freshely furnished with banners and stremers of silke, rechely beaton with the armes and bagges of their craftes; and in especiall a barge called the bachelor's barge, garnished and appareleed, passing all other, wherein was ordeyned a great redde dragon spowting flames of fyer into the Thames; and many other gentlemanlie pagiaunts, well and curiosly devised, to do her highness sporte and pleasoure with." The procession in honour of the marriage of the unfortunate lady Ann Boleyn, appears to have been as splendid as any of the foregoing. But in addition to the city companies, Apollo with the muses, and St. Anne with her children, had their appointed places. The three Graces took their stand in Cornhill, and the Cardinal Virtues in Fleet Street. A fountain of Helicon ran Rhenish wine, and the Conduit in Chepe foamed forth claret. The great red dragon casting forth wild fire, was again put in requisition, wild men also cast fire, "making a hideous noise." Three years afterwards the mayor, aldermen, and city companies, are described as being among the mournful spectators of the execution of this ill-fated lady. The wild men spoken of in this pageant, were fellows dressed like savages in hairy dresses, partly covered with green leaves. These men marched before the procession flourishing large clubs to keep off the mob, who were assisted by others whimsically attired, and disguised with droll masks, having large staves or clubs headed with cases of crackers. These assistants were sometimes called green men, from the colour of their dress. Four of these men was the number usually employed, but sometimes as many as twenty wild and green men preceded the pageant. The respect paid by the city companies to the memory of deceased royalty, also added greatly to the grandeur of public funerals. At the interment of Henry the Fifth, 1422, every householder was charged to provide a black or russet gown, and a black hood, and after the charge to be present at the king's funeral. Certain of the crafts were ordered to find two hundred torches for the funeral. The Brewers provided eight torches, weighing one hundred and thirty-eight pounds of wax, price 51s. 9d. The chamberlain gave white gowns to the torch-bearers, and the Brewers "The royal paid to each three-pence a day for two days. corpse was brought to London on Thursday, November 5th, and was met at St. George's Bar, Southwark, by the mayor, sheriffs, and citizens, on foot; the Brewers stood at St. Margaret's (Southwark) churchyard, until the procession had gone by, preceded by the torch-bearers, and then followed to St. Paul's, where a dirge was performed. On the next day several masses were sung by many bishops and others, who, after eating, preceded the corpse to Westminster, with the mayor and civic authorities. The torches were held at the gate of the abbey until all had entered; and when brought back weighed one hundred and twelve pounds, and were sold for 28s. Every householder, from the church of St. Magnus to Temple Bar, had a servant holding a torch at his door while the procession passed. The burial was solemnized on Saturday, November 7th, when there were offered at the high altar four steeds royally trapped, with a knight full and whole armed with the king's coat armour, and a crown upon his head, sitting upon one of the steeds. After mass, two hundred cloths of gold were offered. "At the burial of Elizabeth of York, queen of Henry the Seventh, 1503, amongst the honest persons, citizens of London, on horseback,' we find the aldermen of London, and of the foreign gilds, the Easterlings, the Frenchmen before them, the Portingalls before them, the Venetians before them, the Janavys (Genoese) before them, and the Lewknors before them; and all the surplus of the citizens of London that rode not in black, stood along from Fanchers (Fenchurch) to the end of Cheap.' Besides these were ordeyned divers torch-bearers of certain crafts of London, which torch-bearers had gownes and hoods of white woollen cloth." Thus, up to the time of the Reformation, whether at seasons of public rejoicing or of national mourning, the Livery Companies of London were always ready to add to the imposing nature of public ceremonies by their presence and powerful aid. In another Supplement will be described the effect of that great national blessing, the Reformation, on the state and dignity of the City Companies. |